About 10 years ago, Christian Uldall, purchased his first espresso machine and quickly became a home barista and passionate about coffee. Many years later, he made a New Year’s resolution to mark 2015: purchase a La Marzocco. The hunt for a used 1 group machine was on.

A good friend who works as an espresso machine technician at a roaster in Aarhus, Denmark told him about a one group Linea dating to the early 1990s that he had seen in a barn about five years ago. When Christian tracked it down, in spite of its poor condition having not been used for 10 years or more, he recognized its potential since it represented for him the “epitome of espresso”.

He brought the machine home on Saturday, July 25, 2015 and began its patient renovation, including bringing the boilers back to their original state by putting to use his master welding capacities. He proceeded to clean and/or replace many parts, and have the body painted in its original colour.  Since we are talking early 1990s, that meant the red of the “beak of a goose”, in the words of its designer, Piero Bambi.

It was “beautiful to see the machine take shape”, in the words of Christian. “I am now pretty sure she will run like a dream once all parts are examined, and lubricated.”

For the purpose of visual storytelling, please enjoy these photo – La Marzocco is grateful to Christian and to his “partner in espresso machine rebuilding”, Karla, the basset hound, for sharing.